Assoc. Prof.  Karel Havlíček, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, visited Tomas Bata University in Zlín (TBU) on 7 November 2019. He met both representatives of schools and of local business and industry. At TBU, which is an example of a working link between education and practice, they dealt with the issue of creative industry, among other topics. Support of technology-oriented professions, investment in research and development as well as intents of TBU and of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MIT) in future were discussed as well. During his visit, the Minister was accompanied by Lukáš Trčka, Director of the Regional Office of the CzechInvest company, and by Filip Terš, Director of the Office of the Minister of Industry and Trade.

Zlín, 11^th November 2019 – A conference was held to highlight the results of research and the latest advances in rubber, as well as to allow scientists and people in the industry to meet. So it was that the fifth annual “Gumference” took place on 13^th November 2019 at the Centre of Polymer Systems (CPS), part of Tomas Bata University in Zlín (TBU). As in the past, the Centre organised the event in cooperation with Barum Continental Otrokovice.

Advanced Batteries, Accumulators and Fuel Cells. The  conference was held in August 25^th - 28^th, 2019. Main fields of interest of the conference were the research and development of materials designated for modern electrochemical power sources, new investigations in the fields of materials research, applied electrochemistry, corrosion, preparation and properties of nanomaterial structures, non conventional sources of electrical energy including photovoltaic systems, ionic liquids for power sources and their properties, replacement of lithium by sodium or other metals in batteries, electrochromism and practical use of electrochemical power sources including their application. Large-scale applications in transportation and energy storage and special electrochemical technologies were included as well.

On Friday, July 19, 2019 students from Ton Duc Thang University in Vietnam visited Tomas Bata University in Zlin, with which they have been working for a long time. After a tour of the city of Zlin, they also visited the Centre of Polymer Systems where they were particularly interested in current research and laboratory equipment.

Zlín 30.4.2019 - Returning Zlín to the map as a town of footwear, linking footwear research with practice and supporting young promising designers and established footwear companies – all the above should be delivered by the new Footwear Research Centre, which was opened by the Tomas Bata University in Zlín on April 30, 2019. This achievement fulfils the vision of Professor Petr Sáha, who has been trying to bring back footwear to Zlín for years.

April 2, 2019 Czech Television has attracted our rubber testing laboratory. The tire exchange now employs all the tire services, so the newsroom staff also visited the Polymer Systems Center, specifically the unique rubber testing laboratory. Dr. Radek Stoček explained in detail how samples are tested in our center.

In the early evening of 28 February 2019, the 21st edition of the prestigious science prize – Werner von Siemens Award – climaxed with the award ceremony held in the historic building of the Bethlehem Chapel. Besides the main prizes intended for young scientists, students and university teachers, special awards were also given to laureates.

Centre of Polymer Systems has obtained the prestigious HR Award. This success placed the centre among the less than 10 top research institutes in the Czech Republic that can be proud of this award.